Vu Trong Phung

Of course, this list cannot be completed without Vu Trong Phung (1912-1939).

For decades, Vu Trong Phung is beloved by both Vietnamese international and local critics, thanks to his series of dedicated works that still have a lasting impact on Vietnamese literature and culture. He was a novelist, playwright, and essayist who is best known for his scathing critiques of Vietnamese society and politics during the colonial era.

There are no arguments regarding his most famous work: it's clearly the novel Dumb Luck (Số Đỏ) which tells the story of a young man, Red-haired Xuan, who is born into poverty and dreams of escaping his circumstances through luck and ambition. The novel is a searing critique of the corruption and social inequality that characterized colonial Vietnam, and its depiction of the struggles of ordinary people struck a chord with readers both in Vietnam and around the world.

Tragically, Vu Trong Phung's life was cut short when he died at the young age of 27. Regardless, what he had done for Vietnam and its literature continues to live on, remembered by millions of Vietnamese readers and inspiring intellectuals to engage more with the pressing social and political issues of their time.

Age: 1912-1939

Most famous works: Dumb Luck (Số Đỏ), The Industry of Marrying Europeans (Kỹ nghệ Lấy Tây), Lục Xì